PS Plus Is Losing Rockstar’s Two Biggest Games Before GTA 6, and the Timing Says a Lot

We are just 10 days away from the highly anticipated release of Grand Theft Auto 6, a day that couldn’t come any sooner for fans of the Rockstar Games title. With the excitement surrounding GTA 6, Rockstar’s other popular gaming endeavors have surprisingly re-entered the gaming zeitgeist, offering fans an alternative as they patiently wait for their time in the fictional sunny state of Leonida. There’s something to be said about gaming alternatives, especially in a time when both equipment and the games themselves are rising in cost.

The only issue? These other popular titles, namely GTA 5 and Red Dead Redemption 2, are disappearing from PlayStation Plus, leaving fans without options just as interest in Rockstar Games peaks. The timing is suspect, to say the least, excluding a large portion of their community just as the company’s game portfolio has become the hot topic of conversation. If they can’t afford GTA 6, their best bet would be to scratch that itch in the meantime by playing or replaying Rockstar hits. The move on Rockstar’s part could mean a myriad of things, but one thing is for sure: it leaves fans high and dry.

Accessibility Has Become a Major Issue for Companies Aiming to Stay in the Zeitgeist of Gaming

Video gaming has never been more exciting. This year alone, the gaming sphere has received some major bangers from all genres, from horror to action-adventure. At the beginning of the year, players were treated to Pokemon Pokopia, 007 First Light, and Resident Evil Requiem. Later down the line, players got their hands on Phantom Blade Zero and the highly anticipated remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake. GTA 6 is up next, adding to the monumental gaming year that we’ve had in 2026. Sure, these launches are extremely exciting, but they’re also immensely expensive, especially for folks who want to play all that is available to them.

To put this into perspective, the standard edition of GTA 6 retails for $80, while the Ultimate Edition, which comes with a few cool perks, will run fans $99.99. Add this cost to console pricing, for those who don’t already have the necessary gear to play the game when it comes out, and gaming becomes substantially more expensive. Consoles are that first barrier to entry, with pricing reaching $900, and game pricing is that second barrier to entry that, even with all the hype backing some of these titles, stops fans in their tracks. This isn’t solely a Rockstar issue, not by a long shot. The running gag at the moment is that fans of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time will just have to sit the remake out, playing the N64 version for the foreseeable future since the $500 Nintendo Switch 2 is the only way they can hope to play the remake.

Pricing issues aside, PS Plus is supposed to bridge the gap between consumers and game pricing by offering a rotating lineup of exciting titles from all genres at a fixed monthly price. I like it because it allows me to experience games I would have otherwise passed up. Most of the time, these games offered under the subscription aren’t current, but it is a step in the right direction that makes gaming somewhat accessible. When games leave the catalog, it can be a major blow to players looking to experience a wide breadth of genres at a digestible price point.

Rockstar pulling both GTA 5 and RDR2 is a huge blow for fans looking to experience all the Rockstar content they can without access to GTA 6, either for the time being or for the foreseeable future until the game is priced down. Speaking to my own personal experience, when I am unable to play something new due to pricing, I opt for the original if said game is a remake, or I play other games from that specific company’s lineup to fill the void. It makes waiting for pricing to drop a little more bearable. I also do this while I wait for a game to drop.

This was likely a strategic move on Rockstar’s part, aimed at gaining momentum off of the hype surrounding their other titles. Pulling GTA 5 and RDR2 could have been to push for more direct sales of these games, making fans of both games seek out the games on the PlayStation Store. It could have been to keep the PS Plus catalog fresh. Out with the old, in with the new, making that subscription worthwhile. It could have also been a contract issue, since games on PS Plus have timed licensing deals with third-party publishers. When these contracts end, the games must leave unless a renewal agreement is reached. Whatever the reason may be, it sucks to see these Rockstar gems go.

If You’ve Never Played a Rockstar Game—Playing Them Is a Must Ahead of GTA 6

Pricing aside, if gamers have never picked up a Rockstar game and want to try their hand at GTA 6, I would implore them to tap into the company’s portfolio beforehand. It is a must. When I first picked up a Rockstar game, I started with RDR2 and was instantly blown away. The game played unlike anything I’d touched before, and presented something of a learning curve for me. Controls in Rockstar games are famously realistic, prioritizing the weight of movement over quick or satisfying arcade-style controls. Movement has meaning, and actions performed are made to be as realistic and impactful as possible.

Characters go through an animation before performing an action like picking things up or opening cabinets. This is what’s called “root animation,” where, instead of taking your movement input, a character performs that command and then the animation follows suit; players input movement, the character animates, and the animation itself drives movement through the world. There is an input delay that can be really jarring for new players. To sprint, players usually have to mash a button, increasing the character’s speed based on how often or how fast a button is mashed, to make players work for that sprint. This is to build momentum, creating a realistic running style that doesn’t have the character bolting off; rather, they are working up to a sprint.

Buttons often have dual functions, and movement can feel “floaty” or slow. The only control scheme that I can think of that is slightly comparable is found in Death Stranding. Hideo Kojima’s horror-meets-action-adventure series also has weighted controls that are based on real physics. If terrain is steep and a player is full-sending Sam Porter Bridges down with a full load of cargo, he will take a tumble forward. Players need to actively stabilize Sam using the left and/or right triggers when he leans or carries heavy stacks of cargo. Sam doesn’t turn on a dime either, especially when carrying heavy loads. Heavy cargo messes with Sam’s center of gravity, making him sway or shift when stopping.

All this to say, if players haven’t had the chance to sit with a Rockstar game ahead of playing GTA 6, they should 100% try out some of the company’s other offerings. I struggled at first with how floaty everything felt, which made me feel kind of discouraged at the beginning of my RDR2 playthrough. With enough practice, I was back in the game and more immersed than ever. All I needed was some time to get things down. The controls in Rockstar games can be challenging for first-timers, which makes gaining access to RDR2 and GTA 5 even more imperative.

Systems

Released

November 19, 2026

ESRB

Rating Pending – Likely Mature 17+